Photoluminescence and scintillation properties of Yb2+-doped SrCl2 crystals

Abstract

The photoluminescence and scintillation properties of undoped SrCl2 and SrCl2:Yb2+ (0.025, 0.25, 0.5, and 1 mol%) crystals have been investigated. These crystals were grown by the vertical Bridgman method. We observed two emission bands centered at 380 nm and 407 nm whose decay time constants are 500 ns and 550 μs, respectively, and are ascribed to spin-allowed (Ybsa) and spin-forbidden (Ybsf) Yb2+ 5d-4f transitions, respectively. 0.025%SrCl2:Yb2+ showed the highest light yield of 55 000 photons/MeV for various concentrations of SrCl2:Yb2+ and this value is comparable with 56 000 photons/MeV reported for 0.5%SrI2:Yb2+.